Aspen Skiing Co. nears decision on Memorial Day skiing

<b>Sun file photo</b>Skico is expected to decide soon whether or not to run its lifts over Memorial Day weekend. Record snow in April and frequent storms during May have left a huge base on the hills and even a dusting around town.

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The Aspen Skiing Co. will decide by the end of Friday whether it will offer lift-served skiing at Aspen Mountain on Memorial Day weekend, spokesman Jeff Hanle said Wednesday.

The Aspen area has double the average snowpack for this time of year, and more snow was received Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The snowpack as of May 1 was the third largest on record for that date in 74 years.

There is precedent for re-igniting the chairlifts. Memorial Day weekend skiing was offered in 1995, and skiing was continued on weekends while good snow conditions lasted or a few more weeks in June, Hanle said.